Irish footballer James McClean has received sickening hate mail taunting him about the Bloody Sunday massacre.
McClean’s wife Erin revealed that the Derry-born winger, who plays for EFL Championship club Stoke City and the Republic of Ireland national team, received the hate mail in his personal email inbox.
Uploading a screenshot of the message to social media, Mrs McClean wrote: ‘Imagine sitting on a Sunday evening going on a hunt for James’ personal email address to send this.’
The message, which appeared above a picture of Parachute Regiment insignia, said: ‘Hi James, lets not forget these brave men. Hope you like this mate.’
In her social media post, Mrs McClean noted that the sender had also used a fake email address, so that it could not be traced back to them.
McClean, a Catholic, received the email following the 49th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday massacre, which occurred in his native Derry on 30th January 1972.
Thirteen people were killed and 15 people wounded after members of the Army’s Parachute Regiment opened fire on unarmed civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside area and it is considered one of the darkest days of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
It comes only a year after McClean received a similar sickening letter from a fake name and address. The letter commemorated the massacre, reading: ‘Bloody good laugh, happy anniversary. Enjoy the day, fenian McClean’.
McClean, who opts not to wear a poppy on Remembrance Sunday due to the role of the British Army in the Troubles, has been subjected to sectarian abuse throughout his career, including death threats and bullets being sent to him through the post.
Picture: Republic of Ireland’s James McClean (centre) following a UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying match at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, with then-manager Mick McCarthy.
